PhillyClout Team

Mayor Nutter today said Sen. Arlen Specter's plans to switch to the Democratic party shows that the Republican party is "out of touch with mainstream America."

"Sen Specter has been a great American, great public servant, he’s served the interests of Philaedelphia and Pennsylvania, but also the nation very well," Nutter said. "Certainly, that’s a personal decision he’s making. But I think it demonstrates that the Republican party is so out of touch that there’s no room for great moderate like Sen. Specter."

UPDATE: Nutter added that he was very excited to hear the news. "Welcome home, Sen. Specter," he said.

Asked if Specter belongs with the Democrats, Nutter said: "Oh, he absolutely belongs in the Democratic party. He'll be very comfortable in the Democratic party."

Nutter noted that Specter has often voted with the Democrats. He praised Specter's support of President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package, despite Republican opposition. "He full well understood the policy implications as well as the political implications of his vote and still did the right thing."